Machine fob gbading soles



B. F. HARTWELL. MACHINE FOR GRADING SOLES, (Sac. APPLICATION FIL'ED MAY 5, 1919.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. i919.

Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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MACHINE FOR GRADING SOLES, 62c.

APPLICATION men MAY 5. 1919.

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APPLICATION FILED HAY 5, I919.

Patented Oct. 28, I919.

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MACHINE FOR GRADING SOLES, 6w. APPLICATION nuzp MAY 5. 1919.

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B. F. HARTWELL.

MACHINE FUR GRADING SOLES, 8L6.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 5- I919.

l l I l I l I I I NITED STATS PAT BENJAMIN F. HARTWELL, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Application filed May 5, '1919.

- machine being adapted to perform its function without being affected by variations in the thickness of the central portion of the sole.

The invention also has for its object to provide improved registeringmeans adapted to register the minimum thickness discovered, for such length of time as may be required to enable the operator to note the same and store the sole with others having the minimum thickness, before presenting another sole to the machine.

To these and other related ends, the invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section.

.Fi 2 is a portion of the cover protecting the register wheel.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in .sec tion, looking from the left of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, with the cover shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 45 -4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the position of elements when a sole portion of maximum thickness passes between the disks.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the position of the elements when a sole is-being introduced between. the disks.

Fig. 7 shows the portion of the cover containing the o ening permitting the register wheel to s row the grade or thickness of the thinnest part of the sole.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation. partly in section, showing the position .of

the elements at the end of the grading operation. Fig. 9 1s a fragmentary QlOViltlOll showing Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 28, 1919.

Serial No. 294,905.

a portion of the cover, and a slot in the lower edge thereof.

Fig. 9. is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 9.

- Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevation showing the clutch hereinafter described which locksithe elements as the sole is about to move from between the disks, as shown in Fig. 11.

Figs. 10*, 10 and 10 show in separate views, parts of the mechanism shown by Fig. 10.

Fig. 11. is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the sole as it is about to leave the disks.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view, the elements shown corresponding to the position of elements in Fig. 6. I

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the elements in position corresponding with Fig.5. I

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing the Ushaped member hereinafter described.

Fig. 15 is a plan view, showing a modification of the sole guide or gage.

Fig. 16 shows a plan view, showing another modification of the gage, for use with welts.

Figs. 17 and 18 are respectively, a side elevation and an end elevation of the parts shown by Fig. 16.

In the drawings, 12 designates the frame or housing of the machine having bearings 13, for the main shaft 14, carrying a fast pulley 15, and a loose pulley 16. To said shaft is fixed a narrow lower feed roll or disk 17, having a deep and -narrow continuous peripheral groove 18, adapted to receive feeler arms 19 and 20, the upper ends of which normally project from the groove at the highest portion of the disk, as shown by Figs. 3 and 8, in position to be depressed by stock moving over the disk. The feeler arm 19 is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane on a fixed axis at 21, and the feeler arm 20 is pivoted to similarly swing on aspring 20 interposed between a fixed adjustable abutment 27 (Fig. 3) on the housdriven from the shaft 14 by a gear 31 fixed to said shaft, a gear 32 meshing with the gear 31 andfixed to a shaft 33 which is .journaled in fixed hearings on the frame, a

gear 34, fixed to the rocker-arm-supporting shaft 28, and meshing with the gear 32, and a gear 35 fixed to the upper disk shaft 24, and meshing with the gear 34.

The upper disk 23 has a continuous peripheral groove 37, of suflicient depth to receiv portions of the feeler arms 19 and 20.

The feed disks are driven simultaneously in opposite directions by the described mechanism, and the width of their peripheries is such that they have a much narrower bearing on the stock being graded than the feed rolls employed in previous machines for this purpose, so fsr as I am aware, and act only on the r ar inal portions of soles to grade and cans; t e registration of the thinnest parts of said marginal portions only.

.A gage block 38 yieldingly supported by a somewhat resilient arm 39 fixed by screws 40, (Fig. 4), to the frame, bears on the inner edge of a piece of; stock passing between the disks, and guides it in its passage, said gage being preferably provided with a recess 41 (Fig. 4) to receive a corner of a sole when the latter is being swung horizontally to shift its positionrelative to the disks.

The feeler arms 19 and 20 are pivoted respectively on fixed studs 42 and 43, (Fig.

'3), and their lower ends are extended below the lower disk 18, between studs 44 and 45, on arms 46 and 47. which are, fixed to rock shafts 48 and 49, journaled in fixed bearings.

The rock shaft 48 has an arm 50 with which is connected a spring 51. The rock shaft 49 has an arm 52 with which is conby dotted lines in Fig. 3. Other functions of the said springs will be hereinafter described.

Fixed to the upper portion of the frame is a plate orholder 54, (Figs. 1 and 3), carrying a fixed bracket which includes a stand having a cylindrical periphery inscribed with numbers indicating thicknesses in irons and half irons. A fixed casing or cover 64 is provided having a sight opening 65 (Fig. 2) through which one number may be observed.

A pawl 66 (Figs. 12 and 13), pivoted at .67 to the lower bracket arm 54, is normally held in engagement with the ratchet 63, to lock the register wheel against backward rotation by a spring 68, acting preferably through a pin 69, which is slidable in a fixed car 70. The pawl 66 is disengaged from the ratchet 63, to permit backward rotation of the register wheel, by mechanism acted'on by stock passing between the feeding disks. Said mechanism includes the feeler arm 20, and the additional elements next described.

A short lever 71 formed as best shown by Figs. 5 and 6, is pivoted at 72 to a. fixed ear 73, one arm of said lever bearing on the tail portion of the pawl 66, and constituting a cam or tappet adapted, as shown by Fig. 6, to move or displace the pawl against the stress of the sprlng 68, and thus remove the acting end of the pawl from the ratchet 63, the lever 71 being held by said spring in the position shown by Fig. 5, when the pawl is engaged with the ratchet.

A release bar 74, which is movable both endwise and sidewise in an opening 75 in the its upper end, normally projected under the lever 1 by a sidewise movement of'the bar in one-direction, caused by a spring 7 8 connecting the bar with a fixed stnd- 79, said spring normally holding the bar in yielding contact with the lever 71. I

The release bar 76 extends downward to the lower portion of the frame and is pivoted'at 7 7 to the arm 52 above described. I prefer to provide the bar with an adjustable terminal portidn 7 6' adjustably connected with the body portion of thebar by a threaded bolt 7 6 engaged with an ear 76 on the terminal portion, and provided with nuts at opposite sides of said ear, the object being to enable the length of the bar to be varied.

It will now be seen that when the feeler arm 20 is depressed from the position shown by Fig. 3, by stock passing between the feeding disks, the release bar is forced upward by the said feeler arm through the stud 45, arm 47, rock shaft 49, and arm 52, so that the projection 76 moves the lever 71 to the position shown by Fig. 5, the result being the separation of the pawl 66 from the ratchet 63.

It will also be seen that another function of the spring 53 is to draw the release bar downward when there is no stock in contact with the feeler arm 20, thus permitting the pawl 66 to again engage the ratchet and lock the register wheel against backward rotation. The shaft 61 is an element of mechanism for rotating the register wheel when stock is being graded. The -shaft 61 is provided with a helical groove 80, receiving a stud 81 on a vertical bar 82 which is slidable in a fixed guiding block 83. To the lower portion of the bar 82 is pivoted by a pin 85 a dog 84 (Figs. 3 and 11), arranged to bearon an arm 86, which, as shown by Fig. 14,

is connected by a neck 87 with an arm .88,

said arms and neck forming a U-shaped member, the arm 88 of which is attached to a shaft 89 journaled in a bearing in the holder or plate 54,-and in the lower bracket arm 58. Secured to the shaft 89 is an arm 90, the outer end of which is ada ted to engage the release bar 74, and move t e same sidewise against the stress of the spring 78,

thus removing the projection 76 of said bar from under thelever. 71.

Pivoted at 91 (Fig. 5) to a fixed support, is a lever 92,- the outer 'end of which has a slot 93 receiving the pin 85 projecting from the sliding bar 82. A spring 94 engaged at one end with the lever 92, andconnected at its opposite end, as by a length of wire 94, with a fixed stud 95, acts to pull the lever 92 and bar 82' downward. and thus cause the stud 81 engaged with the helical groove 80, to turn the, shaft 61. The pitch of the groove 80 is such that a movement of the stud 81 the entire length of the shaft will.

its lowest position, as shown by Fig. 3, thebar 82 is in its highest position, and the arm 98 is in contact w th the inner portion of the dog 84, and holds the lever 92 raised, and

the spring 94 under tension, said arm opposing a downward movement of the lever by the spring. v i A spur gear 99 journaled in the block .83 meshes with the rack-bar .97. A smaller gear or pinion 100 fixed to and coaxial with the gear 99, meshes with a rack-bar 101. movable in the-block 83, the pinion being one-half the size of the gear,

Fixed in the frame .below the guide block 83 is a similar guide block 102, in which slides a;-vertical rack bar 103, in alinement with the rack-bar 97 and normally abutting against the latter. A gear 104 journaled in I arm 25.

and meshing with a vertical rack-bar 106, which is also slidable in the block 102. The

rack 106 has a perforated ear 107 at its upper end, in which is slidable a vertical rod 108', having a head 109, held by a spring 110 in contact with the outer end of the rocker To the lower end of the rod 108 is fixed a collar 111, held by the spring in contact with the lower end of the rack-bar 100.

The rocker arm 25 has at its outer end an adjustable stud 112, bearing on a head formed on the lower end of the rack-bar 101. When the upper disk 23 is in its lowest position, the register wheel indicates zero, and the positions of the several rack-bars are as shown by Fig. 3.

A pinion 113 fixed to a shaft 114 journaled in the guide block 102 meshes with the rackbar 103. To the shaft 114 is fixed a relatively large disk 115 (Fig. 10), having a serrated periphery. Mounted to swing loosely on the shaft 114 is a lever 116 (Fig. 10 having a headed stud 117 at its swinging end. Mounted to swingon this stud is a lever 118 (Fig, 10) which is bifurcated or slotted at its upper end to form a fork in which is journaled a relatively small disk 119 having a serrated periphery, adapted to disks may be interengaged, as shown by full lines in Fig. 10, and separated as shown by dotted lines, by swinging movements of the lever 118, relative to the lever 110. the pinion 113 being locked against rotation when said disks are interengaged. To the lever 118 is pivoted at 120 the upper end of an elongated connecting member or bar 121, a portion of which is shown by Fig. 10". This connecting bar extends downward and its lower end is pivoted to the outer end of the arm 50 on the rock shaft 48 above described. Another function of the spring 51 which acts, as previousl y stated, on the arm 50 and parts connected therewith, to hold the feeler bar 19 in its normal position, is to normally hold the connecting bar 121 in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and by full lines in Fig. 10. the bar when in this position, holding the disk 119 ineugagement with the disk 115. \Vhen the bar 121 is moved against the stress of the spring 51, to the dotted line position shown by Fig. 10, the disk 119 is separated from the disk 115, the pinion 113 is free to rota e, and the register- Jng mechanism is free to operate.

\Vhen a sole 5 to be graded, is moved toward "the nip of the feed disks, it first displaces the feeler bar 19, as shown by Fig. 6, this movement of the feeler bar causing a movement of the connecting bar 121 in the direction required to more the serrated disk tions between said bars, so that the register wheel is locked in the indicating position to which it was last moved. The depression ofthe outer end of the rocker arm 25 by the spring 26, following the separation of the sole from the feeler bar, depresses the rod 108 and its collar 111, the rack-bar 106 connected with said rod, remaining stationary with the other rack-bars.

I will now more fully describe the operation of the machine.

The engagement of a sole with the feeler bar 19 first displaces said bar, as already stated, and thus causes the separation of the serrated clutch disks and allows the free movement of the several rack-bars and the rotation of the register wheel to indicating position. At this point the release bar 74 is in its lowest position, its projection 76 being now forced to one extreme of its sidewise movement by the lever 116 and the associated parts including the dog 84 and the arm 98 on the rack-bar 97. The pawl 66 now permits forward rotation of -the ratchet 63 and the register wheel to the zero point, and prevents backward rotation. The advancing Sole now raises the upper disk 23, and the rocker-arm stud 112 forces the rack-bar 101 upward and causes it through the described connections to force the rack-bar 97 downward. At the same time the rack-bar 106 is forced upward until its head contacts with the rocker arm 25. The register -wheel being now locked against backward rotation by the pawl 76, the arm 98 on the rack-bar 97 recedes from the dog 84 and permits the latter to drop, as shown by- Fig. 5, and recede from the arm 86 of the U-shaped member (Fig. 14) thus permitting the spring'78 to move the release bar 74 si'dewise in the direction required to move the release bar projection 88 under the pawl-displacing lever 71. When the advancing sole encounters and displaces the feeler bar 20, the release bar 74 is raised as above described, and moves the lever 71 to the position shown by Fig. 6,'thu's displacing the pawl 66 and releasing the register wheel, and permitting the latter to turn either forward or backward to any posi tion required by the thickness of a sole portion between the disks. This release is momentary, and as the .racks adjust themselves to indicate, the dog 84 engages the arm 86 of the U-shaped member (Fig. 14).

and swings the lever 90' attached to said member in the direction required to force the release bar 74 'sidewise against the stress of its spring 78, thus removing the release bar projection 76 from contact with the lever 71, and permitting the pawl 66 to engage the ratchet 63. This ratchet in practire, is provided with thirty-eight teeth and the register wheel is spaced into thirtyeight parts, from zero by halfirons to eighteen and one half, so that the teeth and spaces agree, and the discrepancy in thickness must be less than one half of an iron. This release takes place during the passage of the sole from the position X to the posi-' tion Y (Fig. 6), and the ratchet and wheel are locked against registration of a thicker portion. Should a thicker portion exist, as shown by Fig. 5, the stud 112 acts on the rack-bar 101, and through the intermediate rack-bars on the rack-bar 106, the head 109 of the sliding rod remaining in contact with the rocker arm 25, as shown by Fig. 5. The rack-bar 97 and its arm 98 being lowered as shown by Fig. 5, the dog 84 falls by gravity, and through the action of the springl78,-

causing the locking of the rack-bars and the" registerwheel- When the sole is removed from contact with the feeler bar 20, as shown by Fig. 8, said bar is returned to its normal position, and the release bar 74 is drawn downward by the spring 53, and held in its lowest position with the projection 76 below, but not directly under the pawl-displacing lever 71, the lever 116 being now in position to hold the release bar at one extreme of its sidewise movement. When the up er disk 23 is returned to its lowest position after the passage of the sole from between the two disks, the sliding rod 108 supported by the spring 110, yields and is depressed with the rocker arm and upper disk, the several rack bars remaining locked and the registerwheel being locked in position to indicate the thickness of the thinnest part of the sole that has passed betweenthe disks. This indication is maintained untilthe feeler bar 19 is moved either by another sole presented for grading, or manually, to separate the serrated clutch disks and unlock the register .whe'el. The gage block 38 in close proxima sole-between the disks, the sole being turned as required to grade all parts oflits margin. Preferably the heel end of the sole is first presented to the disks, and after one longitudinal edge has been graded,the sole is turned or swung horizontally to grade the edge of the toe portion, and then the opposite longitudinal edge. The recess 41 in the, gage block facilitates the operation of turning or swinging the sole, and the yielding support of the gage block by the resilient arm 39, enables the block to yield slightly tolprojections or uneven edge portions of the so e.

A modified form of the gage block is shown by Fig. 15, in which 125 is a supporting member fixed to the frame. 126 is a gage block having ears 127 at its ends which are slidable in slots 128 in the member 125-, and are retained in said slots by a plate 129 and screws 130. To the member 125 is fixed an abutment 131 for one end of a spring 132, the other end of which bears on one ofthe ears 127 of the gage block. The recess 41 .in the gage block may be smaller than that shown by Fig. 4.

This form of gage block is adapted for use with rough or block soles of the form shown by Fig. 15. When the sole is being turned and one of its corners projects intothe recess 41, the gage block 126 is permitted to yield lengthwise to pressure of the sole corner this yielding facilitating the turning of the sole.

A gage block 135 adapted for use with narrow welt strips '10 is shown by Figs. 16, 17 and 18. The gage block which may be either rigidly 'or yieldingly supported, is

provided with a welt guide composed of an inner L-sln ped strip 136, having a vertical member fixed to the block 135, and a horizontal member projecting outwardly therefrom, and an outer L-shaped strip 137 having a horizontal member adjustwbly secured I i to the inner-strip 136 'by bolts 138. These strips form a'ch'anneled guide, the bottom of which has an opening 139, through which the upper portion ofthe lower feeding disk projects. The ed es of the welt strip to are guided by the sides of said guide as shown by Fig. 18, the width of the guide 'being variable by the construction shown.

The register wheel cover '64 is locked to the plate or holder 54 by a stud 140 (Fig. having a threaded portion 142 engaging a tapped orifice in a flange 141 on said holder. The cover 64 is provided with a slot 143 (Fig. 9), in its lower edge, the slot being enlarged, above its lower. end. The stud portion 142 is cut away at opposite sides where it passes through the cover slot, its form be ing such that when it is in the position shown and engagesa tapped orifice in the frame.

For the sake of clearness and brevity in defining thetfinvention ,in the appended claims, I employ the following terminology: The lower-disk is called the gage disk, the upper disk is called the pressure disk, the rocker-arm 24 is called a carrier. The Series of racks and connected parts constitute what is called a wheel rotating mechanism intermediate the carrier and the register wheel.

The feeler bar 19 is called the primary feeler bar, the feeler bar 20 is called the secondary feeler bar, the primary feeler bar and the parts connected therewith, including the clutch, constitute what is called the two-way wheel-locking mechanism.

The ratchet 63, pawl 66, lever 71, release bar 74 and connected parts, constitute what is called a one-way wheel-locking mechanism.

The helically grooved shaft 61 and the counters, taps, welt strips, etc., are called the stock. The narrow disks enable an article such as a sole to be freely turned or swung edgewise .by the operator during the grading operation, the article being held by the operator against the edge gage, and swung edgewise manually as required to present different marginal portions to the iii of the disks.

The machine may be adapted by reversing the direction of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 63, and making other minor modifications, to register the maximum instead of the minimum thickness of the. stock, the pressure disk being locked against movement toward the gage disk from any point to which the pressure disk may have been moved by the maximum thickness of the stock.

I am not limited to the specific mechanism of the preferred embodiment of my improvements, shown by the drawings, except as otherwise required by certain of the 1 more limited claims.

I claim:

1. A grading machine comprising a positively driven gage disk journaled in fixed movements of the carrier to rotate the wheel in either direction, two-way wheel-locking and releasing mechanism which normally locks the register wheel in both directions, and includes a primary feeler bar associated with the gage disk and displaceable by the stock to cause the unlocking of the register wheel, and one-way wheel-locking mechanism which normally locks the register wheel against backward rotation only, and

gage disk.

includes a secondary feeler bar associated with the gage diskand displaceable by the stock to permit backward rotation oi the register wheel.

2. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said disks being pcripherally grooved to receive portions of said feeler bars.

3. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said carrier being an oscillatory rocker arm carrying the gage disk, and engaging the said wheel-rotating mechanism at its swinging end portion.

4. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said carrier being an oscillatory rocker arm carrying the gage disk, and engaging the said wheel-rotating mechanism at its swinging end portion, an

adjustable sto being provided to limit the movement of he pressure disk toward the 5. A ading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said wheel-rotating mechanism comprising a series of rack-bars movable endwise in fixed guides, gearing connecting said rack-bars in pairs for simultaneous movement in opposite directions.

there being two of said pairs, a member of one pair being engaged with said carrier for positive movement by the latter, a member of the other pair being yieldingly connected with the carrier to permit movement of the carrier in one direction independently of said member, and one member of each pair being in separable contact with a member of the other pair, and means for transmitting torque from one of. said rack-bars to the register wheel.

6. A grading machine. substantially as specified by claim 1, the said wheel-rotating mechanism comprising a series of rack-bars movable end'wise in fixed guides, gearing connecting said rack-bars in pairs for simultaneous movement in opposite directions there being two of said pairs, a member 0 one pair being engaged with said carrier I for posltlve movement by the latter, a mem ber of the other pair being yieldingly connected with the carrier to permit movement of the carrier in one direction independently said stud.

7. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said. wheel-rotating mechanism comprising a series of rack-bars movable endwise in fixed guides, gearing connecting said rack-bars in pairs for'simultaneous movement in opposite directions. there bein two of said pairs, a member of one pair eing engaged with said carrier for positive movement by the latter, a member of the other pair being yieldingly connected with the carrier to permit movement of the carrier in one direction independently of said member, and one member of each pair being in separable contact with a member of the other pair, and torque-transmitting means intermediate one of said rackbars' and the register wheel, including a slide bar movable by said rack-bar and provided with a stud, and a shaft fixed to the register wheel and having a helical groove receiving said stud, said slide bar being positively movable in one direction by the last-mentioned rack-bar, and moved in the opposite direction by spring pressure.

8, A grading machine, substantially as specified by claim 1, the said two-way wheellocking mechanism col-uprising in addition to said primary feeler' bar, a clutch, one member of which is movable into and out of engagement with the other, and spring-controlled connections between the p'rlmary feeler bar and said movable clutch member, organized to interengage said members and cause the locking of the wheel. when the primary feeler bar is in its normal position, and to separate said members and unlock the wheel, when the primary feeler bar is displaced by stock. 7 e 9. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said wheel-rotating mechanism comprising a series of rack-bars, and a pinion meshing with one of said rackbars, and the said'two-way wheel-locking mechanism comprising in addition to said primary feeler bar, a clutch including a member fixed to said pinion, and a movable member, and spring controlled connections between the primary feeler bar and the said movable member, organized to interengage ar and provided pinion when the primary feeler bar is in its normal position, and to separate said members and unlock the pinion when the primary feeler bar is displaced by the stock.

10. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said wheel-rotating mechanism comprislng a series of rack-bars, and a pinion. meshing with one of said rackbars, and the said two-Way wheel-locking mechanism comprising in addition to'said primary feeler bar, a clutch including a larger serrated disk fixed to said pinion, a smaller serrated disk, formed to be interlocked with the larger disk, a lever carrying said smaller disk and movableto shift the position of the latter, springcontrolled clutch-operating connections between said lever and the primary feeler bar.

11. A gradingmachine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said one-way wheellocking mechanism comprising in addition to said secondary feeler bar, a ratchet fixed to the register wheel, a pawl engaging said ratchet to prevent rotation thereof in one direction only, a normally'inoperative pawldisplacing lever associated with the pawl, spring-controlled means intermediate the displacing lever and the secondary feeler bar, connections between said intermediate means and the wheel-rotating mechanism, and a spring-cooperating with said connections,. whereby the intermediate means is rendered alternately operative and inoperative.

12. A grading machine substantially as specified by claim 1, the said one-way wheellocking mechanism comprising in addition to said secondary feeler bar, a ratchet fixed to the register wheel, a pawl engaging said ratchet to prevent rotation thereof in one direction only, a normally inoperative pawldisplacing lever associated with the pawl, a release bar having a projection adapted to separably engage the displacing lever, spring-controlled connections between the release bar and the secondary feeler bar, whereby the release 'bar is movable endwise in opposite directions, said release bar being also movable sidewise, a spring normally holding the release bar atone extremeof its sidewise movement with its projection under the displacing lever, and a lever operable by the wheel-rotating mechanism to move the release bar to the opposite extreme of its sidewise movement, and thereby remove said projection from operative relation to the displacing lever.

13. A grading machine comprising a positlvely driven gage disk having a continuous peripheral groove, a primary feeler bar and a secondary feeler bar located in said grooveat opposite sldes of the axis of the disk, the

ends of said bars projecting from the groove and the upper end of each bar being normally in the path of stock passing over the disk, said bars being pivoted to fixed supports at opposite sides of the axis of the disk, spring-controlled means engaging the lower ends of said bars and yieldingly supporting their upper ends projected from the disk, and a pressure disk yieldingly pressed toward the gage disk and having a peripheral groove arranged to receive the upper ends of said bars.

14. A grading machine comprising a frame, a driving shaft journaled in the frame, a gage disk fixed to the driving shaft at the exterior of the frame, a pressure disk yieldingly pressed toward the gage disk, a gage block at the inner sideof the nip of the disks, and resilient means normally supporting the block in-its operative position, and permitting the block to yield, in a plane parallel-with the axes of the disks, to inward pressure of stock against it.

15. A grading machine comprising a frame, a driving shaft journaled in the frame, a gage disk fixed to the driving shaft at the exterlor of the frame, a pressure disk yieldingly pressed toward the gage disk, a gage block at the inner side of the nip of the disks, and resilient means normally supporting the block in its operative position, and permitting the block to yield, in a plane parallel with the axes of the disks, to inward pressure of stock against it,said gage block having a corner-receiving recess.

16. A grading machine comprising a positively driven gage disk journaled in fixed bearings, a spring-pressed carrier movable toward and from the gage disk, a positively driven pressure disk journaledon said carrier and yieldingly pressed thereby toward the gage disk, the width of the peripheries of the disks being such that they contact only with a narrow portion of a piece of stock between the nip of the rolls, a stockguiding edge gage adjacent to the nip of the rolls, and. registering mechanism including said carrier, and an indicator, movable by movements of the carrier.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

BENJAMIN F. HARTWELL, 

